The present invention relates to a rotary parlour for milking of animals, according to the preamble of claim 1 see DE 9409372 U1.

In a conventional rotary milking parlour, the cows walk on to an annular rotating platform and enter a milking stall, An operator fetches milking members with teat cups from storing devices and attaches the teat cups to the teats of the cows. The storing devices and the operator are arranged in the vicinity of each other on the outside or on the inside of the annular platform. Thereby, it is easy for the operator to fetch the teat cups in the storing devices. The platform may rotate continuously with a constant low speed. The milking processes of the cows has been finished when the cows has rotated nearly 360 degrees on the platform. The continuous flow of cows makes that rotary parlours have a high milking capacity. However, a condition for a well working milking parlour is the existence of the operator that manually attaches the teat cups to the cows.

EP 689 762 shows a rotary parlour for automatic milking of animals. A milking robot is here used for the attachment of the teat cups to a cow standing in a milking position on an annular platform. The milking robot is movably arranged on a rail track, which runs in an internal position of the annular platform along a part of its inner periphery. The teat cups are carried by a swingable arm construction such the teat cups are movably arranged between a storing position outside the annular platform and a teat cup attaching position under a milking animal. The milking robot performs the motion of the arm construction. However, the use of such a construction is restricted to tandem rotary parlours in which the cows stand in the driving direction of the platform. In order to achieve a closed positioning of the animals on the platform and an effective use of the platform surface, it is preferable if the animals stand in inclined positions in relation to the driving direction of the platform.

The object of the present invention is to provide a rotary parlour comprising storing devices for the teat cups which allow relatively simple motions for fetching and attaching the teat cups to the teats of an animal and a reliable retracting motion of the teat cups when a milking process has been finished.

This object is obtained, according to the invention, by the feature that the teat cup storing devices are mounted in positions such that the teat cups are located vertically above the platform in their storing positions. Thereby, it is possible to park the teat cups in storing positions relatively close to an animal standing on the platform in a milking position. Consequently, the milk conduits and the pulsation conduits, which are connected to the teat cups, can be made short. The risk that the conduits get entangled with each other is thus reduced. Further, the distance that the teat cups get in contact with the ground, during a retracting motion of the teat cups, can be minimised. This avoid that the teat cups will be dirty during the retracting process. Furthermore, the risk that the teat cups will damage the legs of the animals is even reduced.

According to the invention, the rotary parlour comprises positioning means adapted to arrange the animals in milking positions on the platform such that a longitudinal axis of the animals forms an angle to the direction of motion of the animal on the platform. The positioning means may be fence arrangements dividing the platform into a plurality of milking stalls. The positioning means may also be feeding troughs or other kinds of components adapted to arrange the animals in predetermined milking positions on the platform. Consequently, the animals are standing in the milking positions with an Inclination in relation the extension of the annular platform. Such an arrangement of the animal on the platform allows a relative close positioning of the animals on the platform. According to the invention, said positioning means are adapted to arrange the animals in milking positions such that a longitudinal axis of the animals forms an angle of 20° to 80°, preferably 30° to 60°, to the direction of motion of the animal on the platform. The animals may here be arranged in a herringbone pattern on the platform. Also in this case, it is possible to arrange the animals very close together on the platform. The teat cup storing devices are here arranged in positions such that the teat cups to be attached to an animal standing in a milking position are located in a storing position on one side of said animal and behind an animal standing in an adjacent milking position. When the animals are arranged in a herringbone pattern on a platform, the above-mentioned space is normally empty. Therefore, it is very suitable to use this space for mounting of the storing device housing the teat cups.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the teat cup storing devices are adapted to hold the teat cups in storing positions such that an end surface comprising a recess for receiving a teat of an animal of the teat cups is located at a lower level than an opposite end surface of the teat cups. With such a positioning of the stored teat cups, possible remaining milk residues or cleaning liquid inside the recess will flow out. Alternatively, the teat cup storing devices are adapted to hold the teat cups in storing positions such that the end surface of the teat cups are located at the same level. In this case, the teat cups have a horizontal extension when they are parked in the storing device. Preferably, the teat cup storing devices comprise a retracting device for retracting the teat cups when a milking process has been finished. Such a retraction device may comprise a number of retracting cylinders which each retracts one teat cup from a teat by means of a pulling force acting on the milking conduit connected to said teat cup.

According to the invention, the teat cup storing devices comprise a cabinet like structure. The retracting cylinder may be mounted inside said cabinet like structure. Different areas of an outer surface of the cabinet like structure may be used to define the storing positions of the parked teat cups. The cabinet like structure has a base portion mounted on an upper surface of the platform. Thereby, the cabinet like structure is mounted in a fixed position on the platform. Preferably, the gripping device and the storing device has a design such that the gripping device is able to grip at least two teat cups located in its storing positions at the same time. Thereby, a quick attachment process of the teat cups is obtained.

According to the invention, the rotary parlour comprises a milking robot arm having an extension between an inner end portion and an outer end portion, wherein the outer end portion comprises a gripping device for gripping and attaching teat cups to the teats of an animal standing in a milking position. By the use of a milking robot, the need of an operator that manually attaches the teat cups to the cows is eliminated. The inner end portion of the milking robot arm may be arranged in a radially outside position of an outer periphery of the annular platform. The milking robot arm may be supported in a supporting element arranged outside the outer periphery of the platform. The outer end portion of the robot arm can here be moved above the platform to a gripping position, in which position it grips the teat cups in the storing devices. After that, the robot arm moves the gripped teat cups to an attaching position under an udder of a milking animal standing in a milking position. Alternatively, the inner end portion of the milking robot arm is arranged in a radially inside position of an inner periphery of the annular platform. The milking robot arm may here be supported in a supporting element arranged in the inner space of the platform. The inner end portion of the robot arm may be stationary supported. Alternatively, the inner end portion of the robot arm may be movably supported in a rail element. Thereby, it is possible to move the whole robot arm between different positions. Preferably, the robot arm is adapted to be movably arranged in a manner such that mutual motions between the inner end portion of the robot arm and the platform are eliminated. Thereby, the robot arm is able to be moved with the same velocity as an animal standing on the platform during an attaching process of the teat cups. In such a case, it is possible to use a robot arm having a relative simple construction.

In the following, preferred embodiments of the invention are described by examples and with references to the attached drawings, in which:

Fig 1

shows a teat cup storing device and a gripping device of a milking robot,

Fig 2

shows a view from the above of a first arrangement of a teat cup storing device on a rotary platform, which is not covered by the independent claim 1,

Fig 3

shows a view from the above of a second arrangement of a teat cup storing device on a rotary platform, which is not covered by the independent claim 1,

Fig 4

shows a view from the above of a third arrangement of a teat cup storing device on a rotary platform, which is not covered by the independent claim 1 and

Fig 5

shows a view from the above of a fourth arrangement of a teat cup storing device on a rotary platform,

Fig 1 shows a gripping device 1 adapted to be connected to a robot arm of a milking robot which is adapted to automatically attach teat cups 2 to the teats of a milking animal. The milking animal may be a milking cow. The teat cups 2 have an elongated substantially cylindrical shape with a first end surface 2a provided with a recess for receiving a teat of a milking animal and an oppositely located second end surface 2b. Each teat cups 2 has a centrally located axis 2c extending centrally through the teat cup 2 and the end surfaces 2a, b. The gripping device 1 comprises connection means 3 for enabling a releasable connection between the gripping device 1 and a portion of the robot arm. The gripping device 1 comprises four substantially identically designed holding parts 4 arranged at different positions along a path extending around a first axis 5. The holding parts 4 are included in a unit 6 rotatably arranged around the first axis 5. The holding parts 4 are arranged at substantially the same distance from the first axis 5.

Consequently, the holding parts are arranged along a part of a circular path around the first axis 5.

Each holding part 4 comprises an electromagnet 8 arranged between two side walls 9. At least a part of an outer surface of the teat cups 2 is made of a magnetic material. Thereby, it is possible to releasably grip a teat cup 2 in the respective holding parts 4 by means of the electromagnet 8. The side walls 9 are provided with front surfaces 9a adapted to come in contact with a surface of a teat cup 2 when it has been griped by the electromagnet 8. The front surfaces 9a of the respective grip portions 4 have a shape such that they are able to hold a gripped teat cup 2 in a predetermined position. The contact surfaces 9a of the different holding parts 4 are inclined in relation to each other. Thereby, it is possible to hold the teat cups 2 such that the longitudinal axes 2c of all teat cups 2 are inclined in relation to each other. Furthermore, the gripping device 1 comprises a camera 10 adapted to detect the position of the teats of a milking animal and the teat cups during attachment processes of teat cups 2 to the teats.

Fig 1 shows four teat cups 2 located in storing positions in a storing device 11. The storing device 11 is included in a cabinet like structure 17. The storing device 11 comprises a plate member 12. The plate member 12 can be elastically suspended or be made of an elastic material. The plate member 12 is provided with four parking surfaces 12a which each has a specific inclination. Each parking surface 12a is adapted to receive a second end surface 2b of a teat cup 2. The parking surfaces 12a are directed downwards. Thereby, the first end surfaces 2a of the teat cups is located at a lower level than the second end surfaces 2b of the teat cups when the teat cups 2 are in the storing positions.

A milk conduit 13 and a not disclosed pulsation conduit are connected to the second end surface 2b of the respective teat cups 2. Each parking surface 12a is provided with a through hole for the milk conduit 13 and the pulsation conduit. The four parking surfaces 12a are arranged in different positions along a curved path around a second axis 7 having a vertical extension through a centre portion of the plate member 12. The parking surfaces 12a are located at substantially the same distance from the second axis 7, which extends through a center of curvature of the path. Consequently, the parking surfaces 12a are arranged along a substantially circular path around the vertical axis 7.

A schematically disclosed retraction device is arranged inside the cabinet like structure of the storing device 11. The retraction device is exemplified as retraction cylinders 14. One such retraction cylinder 14 is schematically shown in Fig. 1. Preferably, one retraction cylinder 14 for each teat cup 2 is used. The retraction cylinders 14 are adapted to provide a pulling force in the milk conduits 13, when a milking process has been finished. As a result, the teat cups 2 are removed from the teats of a milking animal and retracted to the storing device 11. Another object of the retraction devices 14 is to supply a pulling force on the milk conduits 13, when the teat cups 2 are in the storing position in the storing device 11. Thereby, the second end surfaces 2b of the teat cups 2 are pressed with a force against the respective parking surfaces 12a ensuring that the teat cups 2 obtains a desired inclination in the storing positions. The parking surfaces 12a have been inclined in relation to each other such that the longitudinal axes 2c of the teat cups 2 diverge in relation to each other in a direction from the second end surfaces 2b to the first end surfaces 2a of the teat cups. Thereby, a relatively large empty space is arisen between the lower first end surfaces 2a of the teat cups. An annular elastic element 15 is arranged around the teat cups 2 when they are in the storing positions. A lower end portion of two suspension members 16 is adapted to hold the annular elastic element 15 in a predetermined position around the teat cups 2. The upper end portions of the suspension members 16 are fixedly attached to the cabinet like structure 17.

When a milking process has to be performed, the milking robot moves the gripping device 1 to a position under the teat cups 2 which are arranged in storing positions in the storing device 11. The milking robot turns the gripping device 1 such that the holding parts 4 will be located at an upper position of the gripping device

1. 1. Furthermore, the milking robot turns the gripping device 1 around the first axis 5 to a position in which the holding parts 4 are located substantially vertically under a respective teat cup 2 in the storing device 11. Fig. 1 shows the gripping device 1 in this position. The holding parts 4 are arranged at smaller distances from each other than the teat cups 2 in the storing device 11. Thereby, it is possible for the robot arm to lift the gripping device 1 substantially vertically upwards and into the space between the stored teat cups 2. The front surfaces 9a of the holding parts 4 have a somewhat larger inclination in relation to a horizontal plane than the inclination of the outer surfaces of the parked teat cups 2. Consequently, when the holding parts 4 come in contact with the respective teat cup 2, the front surfaces 9a of the holding parts 4 displaces the respective teat cups 2 a smaller distance outwardly against the resilient action of the elastic element 15 until the contact surfaces of the teat cups 2 exactly has the same inclination as the front surfaces 9a of the holding parts 4. In this state, the elastic element 15 presses the teat cups 2 against the electromagnets 8 of the holding parts 4 with a resilient force. The electromagnets 8 are activated and the teat cups 2 are simultaneously gripped by the respective holding parts 4. The robot arm moves the gripping device 1 vertically downwardly with the gripped teat cups 2. During this motion, the milk conduits 13 and pulsation conduits are pulled out from the cabinet like structure 17. The milking robot turns the gripping device 1 such that the holding parts 4 obtain a lower position of the gripping device 1 and the camera 10 an upper position of the gripping device 1. Thereafter, the milking robot moves the gripping device 1 to a teat cup attaching position under the udder of a milking animal. The cabinet like structure 17 is fixedly arranged on an upper surface of a rotary platform 18. A part of a fence arrangement 19 is connected to the cabinet like structure 17.

Fig. 2 shows a part of an annular rotary platform 20. The platform 20 has an upper surface 18 provided with fence arrangements 19 having a substantially radial extension on the platform. The fence arrangements 19 divide the platform into a plurality of milking stalls 21. However, only one milking stall is shown in Fig. 2. A milking cow 22 is standing in a milking position in the milking stall 21. The positions of the front legs 22a and the position of the rear legs 22b of the cow 22 are indicated. A longitudinal axis 22c of the cow 22 is also indicated and an arrow 22d indicates the motion of direction of the cow 22 due to the rotary motion of the platform 20. The cow is standing in a radial direction on the annular platform 20 with her head at an inner periphery 20a of the platform. A feeding trough 23 is arranged in the milking stall 21. A schematically disclosed drive wheel 30 of a drive mechanism is arranged on the underside of the platform 20 for supplying a driving motion of the rotary platform 20.

A cabinet like structure 17 is arranged on each side of the cow 22. The cabinet like structures 17 comprises a storing device 11 for the teat cups 2. The teat cups 2 are located vertically above the upper surface 18 of the platform 20 in the storing positions. The teat cups 2 are located in storing positions radially inside a rear leg 22b and radially outside a front leg 22a of the cow 22 when it stands in a milking position on the annular platform 20. The parked teat cups 2 are located at a smaller distance form the rear leg 22b then from the front leg 22a of the cow 22. Consequently, the teat cups 2 are parked in storing positions located relatively close to the teats of the cow 22. A milking robot arm 24 is movably suspended in a curved rail element 25. The robot arm 24 is, at an inner end portion 24a, connected to the rail element 25 by means of a suitable connection member 24c. The rail element 24 has a curved extension in the outside of the outer periphery 20b of the annular platform 20. The robot arm 24 has an extension from the inner end portion 24a to an outer end portion 24b which comprises the gripping device 1.

When teat cups 2 are going to be attached to the teats of a cow 22, the robot arm 24 is activated. The entire robot arm is located outside the platform 20 in a non-activated state. The robot arm 24 moves the gripping device 1 through the space between the rear legs 22b of the cow 22. Thereafter, the robot arm 24 provides a turning motion such that the gripping device 1 reaches the teat cups 2 in the storing device 11 at the side of the cow 22. The gripping device 1 grips all teat cups 2 in the storing device 11 simultaneously and moves them to a teat attaching position under the udder of the cow 22. The robot arm 24 attaches the teat cups 2 in proper order to the teats of the cow 22. During this gripping and attaching process of the teat cups 2, the whole robot arm 24 can be moved along the curved rail element 25 with the same velocity as the platform 20. Thereby, it is possible to avoid mutual motions between the inner end portion 24a of the robot arm and the cow 22 standing in a milking position. When all teat cups have been attached to the teats of the cow 22, the entire robot arm 24 is retracted to a position outside the platform 20. As soon as the milking process of the cow 22 has been finished, the retraction cylinders 14 inside the cabinet like structure 17 is activated. The retraction cylinder 14 provide a pulling force in the respective milk conduits 13 of the teat cups 2 such that they are removed from the teats of the cow 22 and pulled back to its storing positions.

Fig. 3 shows an embodiment comprising corresponding components as in the embodiment shown in Fig. 2. However, the function of this embodiment differs from the embodiment in Fig. 2. When teat cups 2 have to be attached to the teats of the cow 22, the robot arm 24 is activated. The robot arm 24 moves the grip device 1 into the space between one of the fence arrangements 19 and the cow 22. In this case, the robot arm 24 moves the grip device 1 into the space between the left fence arrangement 19 and the cow 22. The robot arm 24 provides a turning motion such that the gripping device 1 reaches the teat cups in the storing device 11. The gripping device 1 grips the two nearest located teat cups 2' simultaneously and moves them to a teat attaching position under the teats of the cow 22. The robot arm 24 attaches the two teat cups 2' in proper order to the left teats of the cow 22.

After that, the robot arm 24 is moved along the rail element 25 to a new position on the right side of the cow 2. Alternatively, the milking arm 24 is waiting in its initial position until the rotary platform 20 has been turned a distance such that the robot arm 24 obtains a position located on the right side of the cow 2, When the robot arm 24 is in this position, it moves the grip device 1 into the space between the right fence arrangements 19 and the cow 22. The robot arm 24 provides a turning motion such that the gripping device 1 reaches the teat cups in the right storing device 11. The gripping device 1 grips the two nearest located teat cups 2' simultaneously and moves them to a teat attaching position under the teats of the cow 22. The robot arm 24 attaches the two teat cups 2' in proper order to the right teats of the cow 22. When all teat cups 2' have been attached to the teats of the cow 22, the entire robot arm 24 is retracted to a position outside the platform 20.

As soon as the milking process of the cow 22 has been finished, the retraction cylinders 14 inside the respective cabinet like structures 17 are activated. The retraction cylinder 14 provide a pulling force in the respective milk conduits 13 of the teat cups 2' such that they are removed from the teats of the cow 22 and pulled back to its storing positions. Since the teat cups 2' attached to the left teats of the cow 22 are retracted in the left direction to the left storing device 11 and the teat cups 2' attached to the right teats of the cow 22 are retracted in the right direction to the right storing device 11, the risk that the milking conduits 13 of the teat cups 2' are entangled with each other is substantially completely eliminated.

Fig. 4 shows a variant of the embodiment shown in Fig. 3. In this case, two robot arms 24 are used. A left robot arm 24 grips two teat cups 2' in the left storing device 11 and attaches them to the left teats of the cow 22 in the milking stall 21. At the same time, a right robot arm 24 grips two teat cups 2' in the right storing device 11 and attaches them to the right teats of the cow 22. When all teat cups 2' have been attached to the teats of the cow 22, the entire robot arms 24 is retracted to positions outside the platform 20. The retracting process of the teat cups 2' proceeds in the same manner as described above.

Fig 5. shows a part of a rotary parlour for automatic milking of cows 22. Turntable fence members 19 are here used for dividing the platform 20 into stalls for receiving individual cows 22 in predetermined milking positions. By the use of turnable fence members 19, it is possible to position the cows 22 very close together on the platform 20. Each of the fence members 19 is fixedly connected to a feeding trough 23. The feeding troughs 23 attract the cows 22 and facilitate the positioning of the cows in the milking positions. A rumprail 26 is arranged at the inner periphery of the platform 20. The rumprail 26 prevents the cows 22 from accidentally falling or stepping out of the platform 20. The cows 22 are arranged on the platform 22 such that the longitudinal axis 22c of the respective cows forms an angle to the direction of motion 22d of the cows on the platform 20. The cows 22 are here arranged in a herringbone pattern on the platform 20. The head of the cows 22 are in an outer radial position of the platform 20. Thus, the cows 1 face outwards. An entry 27 and an exit 28 for the cows 22 are located adjacent to each other at an outer periphery 20b of the platform 20.

A milking robot arm 24 is here suspended in a stationary support element 29 arranged in a position inside the inner periphery 20a of the platform 20. A cabinet like structure 17 comprising a storing device 11 for storing the teat cups in predetermined storing position are arranged on the platform 20. In this case, the teat cups, which are to be attached to an cow 22 standing in a milking position, are located in storing positions on one side of said cow 22 and behind an cow 22 standing in an adjacent milking position. When the cows 22 are arranged in a herringbone pattern on a platform 20, the above-mentioned space is normally empty. Therefore, it is very suitable to use this space for storing of the teat cups. Furthermore, the storing devices 11 are protected in this position by the rump rails 26.

When a cow has entered the platform 20, via the entry 27, and is standing in a milking position, the robot arm 24 is activated. The robot arm 24 moves the grip device 1 such that it reaches the teat cups 2 parked in the storing devices 11 arranged behind a rump rail 26 of a prevailing cow, which already has been provided with teat cups 2. The gripping device 1 grips all teat cups 2 simultaneously. This storing devices 11 is located in front of the teats of the cow 2. Thereby, the rotary motion of the platform 20 helps to move the gripped teat cups 2 to a teat attaching position. The robot arm 24 attaches the teat cups 2 in proper order to the teats of the cow 22. When all the teat cups have been attached to the teats of the cow 22, the entire robot arm 24 is retracted to a position outside the platform 20. As soon as the milking process of the cow 22 has been finished, the retraction cylinders 14 inside the cabinet like structure 17 is activated. The retraction cylinder 14 provide a pulling force in the respective milk conduits 13 of the teat cups 2 such that they are removed from the teats of the cow 22 and pulled back to its storing positions in the cabinet like structures 17. Thereafter, the cow leaves the platform 20 via the exit 28.

The invention is not limited to the described embodiments but may be varied and modified freely within the scope of the claims. For example, other kinds of the gripping devices 1 and the storing devices 11 than the described in Fig. 1 can be used. The gripping device and the storing device can be designed such that the gripping device fetches and attaches one teat cup at a time from the storing device.